Dom Pérignon is only available as a vintage champagne and is only produced in exceptional years. Each vintage is a creation, singular and unique, that expresses both the character of the year, and the character of Dom Pérignon. After at least eight years of lees ageing in the cellars, the wine enters its first phase of interest, Plenitude 1, showing quite youthful fruit and broad texture from the lees contact. The signature Dom Pérignon aromatic is that "hint smoky" character a result of the reductive winemaking where they go to extreme lengths to keep each step of the winemaking process free of oxygen. With every sip of Dom Perignon you always have that purity of fruit character, depending on the vintage you normally see the Pinot Noir fruit dominate, which are those red fruits like raspberry, peach and dark cherry. The Chardonnay adds a supporting layer of chalky texture and delicious fruit in the yellow spectrum like plum, apple and tropical notes of pineapple. The 2004 vintage leaves its mark on the history of Dom Pérignon for its ease and generosity.

Weather: In contrast with the previous year, vine growth was regular and progressed without incident, producing bunches of a significant number and size. Whilst the weather remained moderate for some time, with the month of August particularly cool, the vintage was defined by the dry heat of the final few weeks before harvest. Nuanced and precise, Dom Pérignon 2004 is a natural sum of perfectly consistent parts.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand & Premier Cru
Grape Varieties: 53% Pinot Noir, 47% Chardonnay
Ageing: 8 years on the lees
Dosage: 5 g/l
Drink: Now to 2035+

Tasting Note: On the nose, aromas of almond gradually develop into classic toasted notes that combine with an abundance of fruit. In the mouth, a youthful grapefruit and lemongrass flavour combines with a creamy crème brûlée edge that is a hallmark of Dom Pérignon from a year where there is ripe fruit. The full taste lingers with the utmost elegance on a spicy note and finishes with crisp acidity. Dom Pérignon 2004 expresses the singularity of the Dom Pérignon style: the tension between youthfulness and maturity and a unique mouth-feel. Compared to 2002 this may well have better ageing potential since it has both forward ripe fruit and a strong balance of acidity.

Just 100 jeroboams of Dom Pérignon 2004 have been released to the UK market. They are individually numbered and presented in a stunning branded wooden gift box (as shown in the bottom left picture). Stored correctly at a constant temperature close to 12°C and protected from light, these jeroboams have the potential to age for more than thirty years and still be relatively youthful in style.